Television fantasy series Game of Thrones has topped nominations for the Emmy awards, television's version of the Oscars.

The grisly royal families feud saga has scored 19 nods including for best drama series, followed by Fargo with nominations in 18 categories.

Challenging Game of Thrones for best drama series are Breaking Bad, Mad Men, House of Cards, True Detective and Downton Abbey.

Homeland, a big winner in its first year, failed to snag a nomination in the best drama category despite good reviews in its third season.

Television newcomers True Detective and Orange is the New Black racked up a dozen nominations each in a challenge to the television stalwarts.

Online streaming company Netflix Inc, the big disrupter of the Emmys last year, more than doubled its nominations for television's highest honours to 31 this year.

Its political thriller, House of Cards, which stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, earned 13 nods for its second season.

Film stars shine with award nods

True Detective, which follows a sadistic crime spree in rural Louisiana, earned best actor in a drama nominations for both Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, two of the biggest film stars to move into the thriving television industry.

Outstanding Drama Series

Game of Thrones

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

House of Cards

Mad Men

True Detective

Outstanding Comedy Series

The co-stars and friends will also do battle with last year's surprise winner, Jeff Daniels from The Newsroom, as well as Spacey, Bryan Cranston for his final turn as the teacher-turned-drug dealer in Breaking Bad and Jon Hamm who plays brooding ad man Don Draper in Mad Men.

Hamm has been nominated seven times for his role in the series, which ends next year, but he has not won.

Among the new faces in the lead actress category were Taylor Schilling as the imprisoned Piper Chapman in Orange is the New Black and Lizzy Caplan as sex researcher Virginia Johnson in Masters of Sex.

"I am shocked and thrilled and shocked and really, really excited," said Caplan following the early morning announcement.

"Champagne before 6:00am is OK, right?"

Netflix continues its success

Last year, Netflix received the first Emmy nominations for shows produced solely for the internet.

The company has made original programming a priority to lure subscribers around the world, much like Time Warner Inc's HBO.

It has also spurred competition from the likes of Amazon.com Inc, which has had less success with its own forays into TV production.

"There is such great television being made in the entire landscape of TV right now, but Netflix has an intense respect for the creative process, and they know that quality sells itself," House of Cards creator Beau Willimon told Reuters after the nominations announcement.

Netflix's second big bet is Orange is the New Black, which is based on the real story of a woman who goes to prison on old drug charges.

For the year's best comedy, Orange is the New Black will compete against ABC's Modern Family, which won last year.

Also lining up for the title are political satire Veep, tech-world take-down Silicon Valley, The Big Bang Theory and irreverent comedy Louie.